Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-02-17
PLEADING FOR S0D0M.
NOTES ON THE INTERNATIONAL
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.

fiji, 2-Critical and Practical Notes by
Samuel Ives Curtiss, PHI. D., ID. D., OF
Chicago.
Introduction.-Lot in Sodom-We left Lot
just outside Of Sodom (Gen. xiii. ~. In due
time he became a citizen of Sodom. As such
his fortunes were linked with those of the
city. Hence when the kings of Sodom and
Gomorrah were overcome by Chedorlaomer
and his allies, Lot was taken captive and all
that he had. With rare generosity Abraham,
who had heard of bis nephew's misfortune,
gathered together small but trained force Of
S1s men, and at much personal risk rescued
his nephew ", 16), who had been so migrate
ful. Lots choice had thus proved to be
mistake from worldly point of view. He
returns to Sodom. and becomes still further
involved in its destiny. Good men are often
instrumental in Transforming bad communi-
ties; but they are likely to have little power
over the moral condition of a people if their
ambition is to get rich.
At the time of the events described in this
chapter Abraham was over 80 years of age
(Gen. xvii, y. God had appeared to him again,
had promised him numerous posterity, had
given him a new name Abraham, as a con-
slant reminder of his promises and the land
of Canaan, and had suffered him to have a
son, Ishmael, although he was not to be his
heir Gen xvi, Is; xvi, 1920 and had made
new covenant with him Gen xvii, 10).
Abraham's Guests-In the chapter from
which our lesson is taken, a Draham was
favored with three heavenly visitors, one of
whom seems to have been tie Angel of Je
hovah, who appeared as the Old Testament
Redeemer at different times in the history of
the patriarchs and of their descendants.
While he spread a meal before them, they
told him that the long promised son was to be
born at the appointed time. After these joy
full tidings his angelic guests looked toward
Sodom. 1t was then that the Angel of Je-
hovah announced his purpose to Abraham to
visit Sodom, and speaking after the manner
of men, he proposed to see whether the char
acter of the people correspOnded TO the report
that had come 10 him The two companions
of Jehovah now turn to go toward Sodom,
and Abraham is left alone with Jehovah, as
his grandson, Jacob, was with the same per-
son many years later tGen. xxi, "a, so, re-
vised version, margin; Hos. xii, A..
No threat has yet been uttered against
Sodom, but Abraham knows that the wicked
city cannot endure an investigation He
makes no plea for Gomorrah, but his heart
yearns for his nephew, who is living in
Sodom.
Abraham's Plea ". 23.-He does not ask
that the wicked should be spared. He does
not intimate that they have not had suffi-
cient opportunity for repentance. His whole
plea is in behalf of Lot and his family. To
understand it we must remember that in
Old Testament times men were not considered
so much as individuals as they were with ref
erence to the families and tribes with which
they were connected, so that if man were
punished for bis sin his whole family suffered
with him. Abraham, therefore, felt that if
Sodom were to be destroyed there would be
no escape for Lot. Hence he asks Jehovah,
Wilt thou destroy the righteous with the
wicked!
VS. 24-25 With these verses begins a plea
which Is without a parallel in the entire
Scriptures. To appreciate it we must re-
member the truly Oriental character of the
transaction. Abraham, with all his rever-
ence, is here shown to be genuine child Of
the east in asking for more favorable terms
in connection with each petition He begins
by supposing that there are fifty righteous in
the place, and begs that Sodom may be
spared for their sakes In this petition and
those that follow he probably has in mind
Lot and his household as righteous, for not
only Abraham, but also his servants, were
included in the covenant. It was not un-
reasonable for him to suppose that Lot, who
must have been the poSsessor Of a goodly
number Of servants like himself, had truly
religious household of at least fifty persons.
The First 1heodicy. verses may be
considered as containing what the theologians
might call the first theodicy, or the first
attempt to justify the ways of God with men.
1t does not seem to occur to Abraham, how
ever, to make any plea for the wicked that
they should have another opportunity to re-
pent. His sole petition is that the righteous
shall not be as the wicked. That be far from
the Lord And then he raises the question,
shall not the Judge of all the earth do right
V. 26 Jehovah readily accedes to his
prayer, and tells him that if he finds fifty
righteous within the city he will spare all the
pace for their sakes. Nobody knows how
much cities are indebted to Christianity for
their peace and prosperity and how many
judgments are averted from wicked places for
the sake of Gods people.
vs. 27-S2 Abraham becomes bold in his
plea Like an Oriental making bargain, as
we have remarked, he drops from point to
point in his intercession until he reaches ten.
He is all humility. He speaks of himself as
dust and ashes in Gods sight In this he has
the spirit of true prayer, for while at the
beginning of his petitions he makes the grand
argument that the Judge of all the earth
should do right, yet he manifests submission
to His will and is ready evidently to accept
denial Of his request God meets him gra-
ciously at each point and promises to grant
each petition, even to the saving of Sodom if
not more than ten righteous persons should
be found in it.
The question may be raised, if God would
have promised to save the city for the sake Of
five righteous persons. The sequel. however,
shows that there were not even five tGen.
xix, l6l.
This lesson is most instructive in the Gghtit
sheds on the presumption of our expressing an
opinion as to the righteousness of Gods gov
ernment. There are many unbelievers who
are ready to call God. as he is represented in
the Old and New Testaments, a harsh, unfcel-
ing tyrant There is great disposition in
some quarters to try to justify the ways OF
God with men, by affirming that men who
have had no opportunity to hear of Christ in
this world may have such an opportunity in
the next. They say, shall not the judge Of
all the earth do right Therefore they say,
we have reason to expect that those who have
not heard of Christ before death viii have the
opportunity to hear of him between death
and the final Judgment.
Folly of justifying Gods ways with men
The story of Abrahams intercession for
Sodom shows how foolish it is for finite man
to sit in Judgment ON the infinite God. 1t is
clear that Abraham utterly misapprehended
the case about Sodom. 1t was destroyed.
Every right minded reader Of its history
would say that it deserved to be. But Abra-
hams prayer was answered, and not one
righteous person was destroyed with the
wicked. Nothing, therefore, is gained by
trying to justify the ways of God with men,
by trying to read into Scripture that which
is not in it When we have made God like
one of ourselves the unbelieving do not care
for him. The world has not much respect
for religion which does not treat every man
like a poor lost sinner, who is only saved
through Gods infinite grace.
II we take the plain and obvious teaching
of the Bible as to the future condition Of those
who die in their sins we need not doubt that
when we pass from this world, where we
know only in part, we shall say with all the
redeemed: "True and righteous are thy